Thursday, March 27, 2014

Essie School of Hard Rocks

School of Hard Rocks was released by Essie as part of its Cocktail Bling collection for winter 2011. It was described by Essie as a "midnight malachite." *eye roll* Marketing! It's like the the little girl who had a little curl right in the middle of her forehead. School of Hard Rocks is a medium-dark grey-infused teal green, soft and dusky. My immediate thought was of China Glaze Exotic Encounters, but Exotic Encounters is lighter and brighter. Where Exotic Encounters is a soft washed flannel, School of Hard Rocks is a plush dusty velvet. If you love Exotic Encounters, you will adore School of Hard Rocks.Application was dreamy. The consistency is fluid, creamy and dense and applies smoothly and evenly over the nail. Pigmentation is excellent. School of Hard Rocks, applied liberally, is a contender for the one-coat contingent, but use two to get the most out of the rich color and fabulous self-levelling qualities of the formula. This is one of those Essies that brings on full blown application bliss, the relatively thin and flexible brush and the formula working together in exquisite accord. Clean up is straightforward and without pitfall. School of Hard Rocks dries naturally in very good time to a beautiful glossy finish. Photos show two easy coats of School of Hard Rocks over treatment and basecoat with a topcoat of Seche Vite.

Essie School of Hard Rocks

Essie School of Hard Rocks

Essie School of Hard Rocks

Essie School of Hard Rocks

Essie School of Hard Rocks

Essie School of Hard Rocks

Essie School of Hard Rocks

Essie School of Hard Rocks

Essie School of Hard Rocks

I did hesitate a tiny bit when I went to grab up School of Hard Rocks to swatch. Clearly it's not the most conformative to spring dictates. But School of Hard Rocks abounds with an air of comfortable easy elegance that I prize in a polish. It's the kind of thing where you put it on, reflect on it and then feel immensely happy with yourself for choosing it. This is one of those polishes with the endearing quality of reflecting well on your aesthetic. It is beautiful, chic and singular without being obvious about it. love,Liz